lizard

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Reptile generally distinguishable from snakes, which belong to the same order, by having four legs, moveable eyelids, eardrums, and a fleshy tongue, although some lizards are legless and snakelike in appearance. There are over 3,000 species of lizard worldwide. (Suborder Lacertilia, order Squamata.)

Like other reptiles, lizards are abundant in the tropics, although some species live as far north as the Arctic circle. There are about 20 families of lizards, including geckos, chameleons, skinks, monitors, agamas, and iguanas. The common or viviparous lizard (Lacerta vivipara), about 15 cm/6 in long, is found throughout Europe; in the far north, it hibernates through the long winter. Like many other species, it can shed its tail as a defence, later regrowing it. The frilled lizard (Chlamydosaurus kingi) of Australia has an erectile collar to frighten its enemies. There are two poisonous species of lizard, the Mexican bearded lizard and the gila monster. A new lizard species discovered in the West Indies in 2001, Sphaerodactylus ariasae, measures only 1.6 cm/0.6 in. (For flying lizard see flying dragon.)

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